Sand in the Water
by Secret Sheik
Summary: Akatsuki is over, Itachi is dead, and Kisame hides in Suna out of desperation. What else will he find? Kisame/Temari. I'm serious.
1. Divided

I guess a weird story like this needs a foreword. I've only seen ONE fic like this, and it was a oneshot. I intend to make something longer than that. And yeah, I don't care about the age difference, it's not that severe. Have you looked at celebrities lately? Go look again before you tell me this is wrong. That being said, please enjoy. 

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Sand in the Water

Part 1 - "Divided"

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Itachi was dead and the Akatsuki disbanded after the fateful end of their leader. Madara had revealed himself, but it was too late. Only he, Kisame and Konan were left. Konan wasn't about to do anything without Leader, and Kisame... well, he didn't want to be used. That was all that Madara seemed to want. He had managed to escape Madara's wrath, fleeing from Amekagure into the land of wind. This desert was the one place nobody would ever look for the water loving shark nin. For a moment he actually felt safe, though without water in sight he couldn't help but feel queasy. The heat of the sun didn't affect his tough skin though the constant dry air bothered his lungs. He wandered for days until he reached an outpost in the middle of nowhere, taking shelter inside from the terrible climate.

He was resting in the darkest corner of the small single floor at the base of the outpost, summoning his chakra into enough water to drink when he heard steps outside, shuffling in the sand. His body automatically tensed, though he was certain that whoever it was would assume this outpost was empty. He didn't even bother to hide his chakra. Without Akatsuki, he had no purpose. Without Itachi, he had no friends. His life was empty. The steps rounded the corner to the door of the outpost, a figure showing against the bright daylight. He squinted his pale eyes, shrinking back into the corner like an animal. This was ridiculous. He was Kisame, one of the legendary swordsmen of the mists! What did he have to fear from this stranger?

He could have just killed her right there and then, lopping off her head in a desperate attempt to escape. What was there to escape from? What was left to him in this world? Instead, he stayed there in the corner, expressionless and apathetic as the stranger approached, not caring anymore what might happen. "Are you alright?" She didn't attack him, she just knelt inside the doorway, glancing at him apprehensively. Her small frame didn't quiver in fear, but her expression was one of caution. He could see her calculating blue eyes and her strangely styled hair, her sand headband glinting in the light. Was this what people from Suna dressed like? In flimsy dresses and light material? No, wait, of course they did, the desert was horrible during the day.

Kisame stayed there in the corner, growling menacingly. "Leave."

She couldn't see his appearance but knew he was hurt. "I won't fight you. Come on out, let me help you. You won't be able to survive once the sun sets."

"I've survived worse, leave me alone." Every time a stranger looked upon him, he wondered what it was they saw. Did they see a monster, or did they see an unfortunate man with a demon spirit inside him? His shark form had been a blessing back home, where he could stay underwater all day long and swim faster than anyone. Fighting and weather tolerance were no problem, but when it came to interacting with others, nobody understood. Only the other members in Akatsuki had ever looked at him impassively, accepting him as he was. Heck, if they could accept Zetsu, then there was nothing wrong with a shark demon! And only Itachi had ever come the closest to understanding his true self. Without him, he had nothing.

She wasn't about to let him go that easily. "You don't know what it's like out here, then. The desert will get well below freezing, now come on! We don't have much time." She saw him slink further into the corner and she sighed. "Even if you're an enemy shinobi, I won't harm you. I promise."

His head tilted up, and she could just see the gleam of his slashed mist headband. He spoke in his low, growling voice. "You really mean it...?"

She hesitated slightly. This guy was an ex-ninja from the mist? How the heck did he get all the way out here in Suna? Then it made sense. Nobody in their right mind would go looking for a missing mist nin in the desert. However, she was true to her word. "I did promise, didn't I? Then I mean it." She prepared herself for the worst, but then again he had cowered in the corner. Maybe he was desperate enough to follow her. Maybe he was desperate enough to kill her. Either way, she was prepared.

He grumbled under his breath once more before answering. "Very well." His hefty form relaxed just a little before he edged out of his safe, secure feeling corner, shifting until the sunlight barely lit his skin. All her expression showed was a slight bit of shock, but then only curiosity. Not fear, just surprise. And then as he edged out further, his Akatsuki cloak became visible, and she stiffened.

"You're from Akatsuki..." Her eyes widened but she remained still.

He chuckled deeply and shook his head. "Akatsuki is no more. I don't even know why I keep this stupid thing. Probably because of all this blowing sand everywhere. The cloak is long enough to protect against the elements here."

"What happened to Akatsuki?"

Should he tell her? Not that it wouldn't get out pretty quick anyway. The loss of this super-power in the world of professional ninjas would be big news soon enough. "We're done. Or I'm done, anyway. There were just three of us, with that idiot Madara trying to suck us back in. I'm through with him. Once Leader was gone, I wanted nothing to do with it. Akatsuki was circling the whirlpool, and I had the sense to swim out."

She didn't dare to nod or even budge. "What will you do now?"

He stared for a moment, not sure himself. "Scum like me has nowhere left to go. I'll wander until the end of my days. Maybe I'll go out like that idiot Zabuza, fighting til the very last breath. I don't care anymore. I used to think I knew exactly what I was doing, and for a time that was true, but now... everything I care about, Akatsuki, all the members, and Ita-- no, I have nothing left. Kill me if you really want to, it would be a relief."

She didn't speak for a moment, observing his features carefully. From what she had heard from the Konoha ninjas, this was Kisame, the sharklike ninja who had been one of the seven shinobi swordsmen of the mist. He was probably used to working with groups, never really following his own path or his own ideas. Just drifting along with whatever someone else had him do. He had no village, no fellow swordsmen, no Akatsuki, no partner, not even a country to return to. In a way, he reminded her of Gaara. Her poor brother had been treated just like Kisame, like he was the scum of the earth, not even wanted by his own country and not accepted by other people because of what was inside him. Maybe that was how Kisame was, a human imbued with the spirit of a demon. She understood from watching Gaara all these years how this must have felt. "I won't kill you, I made my promise. Follow me. Just take off your Akatsuki cloak and headband. If you cover your face, I can get you to town safely."

Stay in Suna? It was a generous offer for the likes of him. Maybe she was simply fulfilling her promise. Maybe she was genuinely concerned for him. Maybe... maybe she even understood, if only a little. He removed his cloak but kept his concealing hat, the style common enough to go by unnoticed. In his pack he found a spare plain tan cloak and he secured it around his face. With a nod, he followed the stranger, the two in silence for a good hour before he spoke again. "Kisame. Who are you?"

She glanced back, still walking. "Temari. I knew who you were back there."

He chuckled again, grinning his usual toothy grin. "Even Sunagakure knows about me, I must be getting popular. If everyone knows who I am even there, I'm not safe, huh?"

"You can plead your case to the Kazekage when we arrive. If I tell him about your predicament, and if you really are through with Akatsuki, he will probably listen. It would also help if you could promise to help us track down what remains of your comrades."

He scoffed. "Comrades. Damned treacherous filth is all they are. Dishonerable waste of good oxygen. I'd be glad to go after Madara. Konan is innocent, I'm sure, she was just blindly following Leader's orders, lost by her love for him. Poor girl... I'm sure she's a useless mental wreck by now. There's no point in going after her. Madara is the one we really need to kill."

"What do you know about this Madara person?"

He hesitated, his form stiffening visibly. "He's an Uchiha, just like... He has the mangekyou sharingan, and he can use it as much as he wants. After doing a little research, I learned that he was one of the founders of Konoha. I know that sounds ridiculous. How did he even live that long? I don't think any of us knew, not even Leader. All along he was manipulating Akatsuki so he could get the nine-tails bijuu. I suspect he wanted it to gain power, but... I never knew about any of this until Leader died."

She frowned slightly. "Didn't you have your own plans? What about what you wanted to do?"

"Being part of the Seven was all I ever cared about when I was a kid. We were all exiled after we failed a very significant mission, and left without a plan. Zabuza tried to do things on his own, but he died. The rest... who knows. Then I went off on my own, only to be found by Akatsuki soon after. Leader promised us acceptance, power, authority... anything we could ever want for. But I suppose it was never really his to give. Madara was the one really calling the shots all this time. What he said to me, though... the things he promised me... that's what got my loyalty. We were all fools, taken in by the lofty lies of our Leader. Maybe he really believed that's what we were fighting for. Maybe Madara was manipulating him too. But one thing I hate is being used. I joined of my own free will because I thought we were doing something right."

The more she thought about it, the more she could relate to him. It wasn't unlike the time that the sand village and sound village had joined together to attack Konoha, going by the orders of Orochimaru in disguise. They had been conned just as much as Akatsuki had, and she could sympathize with how he felt. His situation was exactly the same, he was just like she was. Suna had been forgiven by Konoha. Maybe Kisame would be forgiven. "Not long ago, Orochimaru did the same thing to Suna, and incited us to join with the Sound to attack Konoha. We didn't know it was him, he had murdered our Kazekage and took his form in order to fool us. From what you say, it sounds like Madara did the same thing with Akatsuki."

He considered, and knew she had a good point. Maybe he could explain it to the Kazekage, maybe he could get some kind of forgiveness. Maybe after all these years he could follow a path that he set for himself. Before long, Sunagakure was in sight, the tall domed buildings hidden behind a terraced wall. He tilted his head down, hiding his face from any onlooker as she explained to the guards about him being a traveler from Konoha. True enough, that was the last place he had been before Suna. His eyes watched her feet, following her all the way to the main compound. Not once did he lift his head, following only by watching the ground in front, all the way up the stairs and into a strange room.

The whole area smelled like sand, dusty and gritty. Even the tile inside this immaculate office seemed to have been dulled by the dirt tracked in from years of wear. He kept his gaze down and let Temari speak for him. "Kazekage-sama... I have brought a traveler as well as a guest. He is... someone I'm sure you don't wish to see, but I want you to hear him out. Don't judge him too quickly."

A young male voice spoke just loud enough to be heard. "I know better than to judge anyone as quickly as I used to. I will hear him out."

Kisame raised his head slowly, glancing at this young man. His eyes widened as he saw just who this person was. Gaara... the old Ichibi container! He suddenly remembered that someone had resurrected Gaara, and he had forgotten the whole Kazekage thing. It had been Sasori and Deidara's problem, not his. Maybe Gaara was resentful? Although, the young man didn't seem to recognize him right away, and Kisame nodded politely. "It's fortunate that you don't recognize me, but unfortunate that I recognize you. I... used to belong to Akatsuki." He saw the boy's pale eyes widen behind that mop of red hair, but when nothing was said, Kisame continued. "Akatsuki is finished, we were fooled by one of our members into thinking we were helping this world. Uchiha Madara was controlling Akatsuki, and not Pein as we had all thought. Pein was being manipulated, and we all fell for it. I can understand if you bear a grudge against Akatsuki."

Gaara nodded, but looked contemplative. "Against Akatsuki, certainly. Against this manipulator Madara, definitely. Against you... no. If you really mean what you say, then you might wish to help us defeat Madara once and for all. Even if he works alone... if he wa powerful enough to manipulate your old leader, he's to be feared. What do you say? If you choose to help us take down Madara and assure the safety of the remaining Jinchuuriki... I will grant you safety in my village."

Such an offer was impossible to refuse. Kisame wanted nothing more than to get revenge against Madara. He bowed with respect. "It would be my pleasure to help you take down Madara. As for the other Jinchuuriki... I never cared about them to begin with. As long as Madara ends up dead, I don't care what else has to happen."

"Very well." He approached the shark nin carefully, looking into the man's eyes. He was reminded of himself, struggling with demon possession and being scorned for it. This stranger... lost without a purpose... it was so similar to the way he used to be. "What is your name?"

"Hoshigake Kisame, former Mist shinobi and former member of the seven shinobi swordsmen."

"Kisame-san... I will make sure you are welcome in Suna. I understand how hard it is to have a demon inside you... but I will do what I can to make sure you get by without too much scrutiny. But tell me, do you still wish to be a shinobi?"

He glanced up, completely taken aback by this sudden generous gesture. "Fighting is all I've known all my life. I intend to go after Madara whether I'm a shinobi or just a man. But... what exactly are you trying to ask me to do?"

"I can grant you chuunin status and allow you to work for us. I understand if you want to follow your own path, I won't force you to do anything. But I can assure you that I will never mislead you. I'll leave the choice up to you."

From one kind of control to another, but... he had a choice. After what Suna had been through, he was certain they would take precautions not to be controlled again. He had faith in this system that had been through the wringer as much as he had. He was being given the right to make his own choices. A low chuckle from his deep chest grew to a hearty laugh and he grinned up at Gaara, teeth gleaming. "For a leader like you? Yes, I think I like you, kid. Giving a hopeless guy like me something to live for... Yeah, I'll join, don't bother trying to make people accept me though. I'm used to the stares by now." He grinned wider, and his eyes narrowed with the effort.

Gaara felt complete understanding for this man. Empathy, even. He nodded slowly, handing Kisame a spare Suna headband. "Then accept this as my effort. You can give back to me by telling me everything you know about Akatsuki."

Kisame laughed even harder. "Then sit down, kid. This could take all day."

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A/N: A nice prologue for the story, yeah? Well, my fingers hurt so this ought to do for now! Please read and review, tell me what you think.


	2. Acceptable

I've been busy with the original fiction of mine, sorry if I neglected this story! Interesting things will be going down pretty soon!

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Part 2 - "Acceptable"

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Kisame told everything he ever knew about Akatsuki, from the day he joined to the last time he saw Madara. He even went off on a tangent to explain his former role in his band of seven, as well as any other points of interest. When he got to the part of Itachi's death, he looked genuinely saddened and distraught, his only friend in the world taken by a rough twist of fate. Gaara imagined that it was the same way Naruto had felt after the Ichibi had been extracted from his body and he was essentially dead. They had been close friends, linked by the empathy between two jinchuuriki. When the story was completed, the moon had started to rise. Kisame was old enough to have a lengthy story, probably in his mid thirties. Nevertheless, Gaara listened and contemplated every word.

"And then Temari here found me out in the desert." Kisame's teeth gleamed even in the dimly lit office, and he had been crouching on the floor.

Gaara inclined his head to show he had been listening, and clasped his hands in front of him on the desk. "The information you gave us will be used to both our advantages. Uchiha Madara is still a mystery to both of us, but if he's anything like Itachi, he's someone to be feared." He noticed Kisame clench his teeth at the mention of his former partner. "I know it's hard, but do you know anything more about Itachi's techniques that could give us some clues about Madara?"

"I told you all I know. Tsukiyomi and Amaterasu were his best attacks, and he rarely used them so I don't know much about either, except that using either would further his blindness. Turns out he didn't have the opportunity to worry about that too much."

"You must miss him."

"He was like a brother to me." He laughed under his breath, grimacing. "Funny that I say things like that. I killed my brother during the Mist exams, and then Itachi attempted to kill his brother. Maybe we were the only family we could stand to have around."

Gaara considered this for a moment, then stood abruptly. "My offer still stands. If you want to have the night to consider, I can order a room for you."

Kisame rose from his crouching position, smirking and walking over to where the Sand headband lay on the desk. "Whoever heard of a shark demon like me being at home in a desert..." But he took the headband and tied it around his forehead. "I'm a man of my word. I said I wanted to take down Madara and I meant it."

Gaara approached him and held out his hand. "Very well. You will have my protection, and Temari will find you somewhere to stay." He smiled as the shark nin took his hand in a firm grasp, sealing the agreement.

"Thank you for understanding." He gave one last nod before he followed Temari out into the dim stairwell, scents of dust and strange animals everywhere. Kisame had only been to the wind country once before, and it was only a brief mission. They were strangely silent, not disturbing the quiet night that shrouded the village. At the bottom of the stairwell, Temari turned to him, a contemplative look on her face.

"You're on probation, of course. I need to have you stay in the same complex as me, and Kankuro is out for a few weeks on a mission so you can use his place. Nothing personal, but it's procedure."

He inclined his head politely. "Always wise. Lead the way."

She nodded briskly and let him around the complex to the lower level where all the jounin rooms were situated, her own apartment shared with Kankuro with separate bedrooms and their own bathrooms. The lower rooms didn't have windows but were well lit by several lamps around the room. She noticed his puzzled stare and explained. "Most of the living areas are underground to protect them from the heat during the day. The upper levels are strictly training areas used only at night. The middle areas are mostly for genin or chuunin." She pointed to the right division of the room, the two areas separated by a shared living area and kitchen. "Kankuro's area is over there, and I'm to the left if you need anything."

His brow raised with interest. "Kankuro? Isn't he that kid that uses puppets?"

"Yes, he's my brother, as is Gaara."

He grinned his signature toothy grin. "A sister of the Kazekage? I really lucked out didn't I? Yeah, I remember that kid. Sasori mentioned him a couple times."

She stiffened and her eyes widened, but she relaxed just as suddenly. "That guy... he's the one that left Kankuro poisoned and dying in the middle of nowhere."

"Yeah, that was brutal. I don't let my prey suffer like that. At least it gave that kid a chance to live."

"We were lucky that Sakura was able to save him." She glanced sideways at him, wondering if he held any resentment towards the Konoha ninjas that had ultimately been the end of everything he had ever cared about.

"The pink haired girl, right? Yeah... she took out three of Pein's forms on her own. That girl was something else. They took him down so quickly... it was frightening and yet I couldn't look away. Madara will be in hiding for a while, I'm sure. I wonder if he realizes just how small a chance he has."

"You did the right thing."

He looked down at her with a puzzled expression, his brow quirking. "You really think so?"

She nodded with a smile. "You just wanted acceptance, right? You're hosting a shark demon inside your body, so it's been hard for you, hasn't it?"

His eyes widened along with his grin. "How did you know it was a demon?"

"It's just like the jinchuuriki, except your demon is passive." She idly let one of her fingers drift over the back of his hand, feeling his skin. "If your demon was active, you'd have actual shark skin and other more intense features. The only reason the jinchuuriki don't show their demonic features is due to the seals that hold the demons in."

He didn't like being touched, mostly because of the reactions he got from those who managed to do so. But she had done so with idle curiosity and didn't shy away, only examining closer. "So having Gaara around made you notice things like that. That's why you're not scared."

She nodded, looking up at his pale slitted eyes without fear or revulsion. "You can't help that you were born with this thing inside you. In a way, you were fortunate."

He laughed heartily, his heavy chest shaking. "Fortunate! How can the terrorized screams of everyone around you be a fortunate thing?"

She took a confident stance, shifting her weight to her left hip as she crossed her arms in front of her. "They might laugh while you're on land, but in the water I bet you could best any of them. The problem with them is they can't see the benefits of being a little bit different! We all have different qualities that make us better in some way. If they can't accept that, then that's their problem."

He chuckled and poked her forehead teasingly. "And what makes you so different, little sand nin?"

Her face quirked into an amused smile and she cocked her head to the side curiously. "I see what they don't." She turned abruptly, whacking him in the side with her large fan as she passed by, and he couldn't help but grin after her even as she closed her door. That woman was something else.

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A/N: Done for the moment. Had to update this poor neglected fan fic! Stick around for the next chapter! 


	3. Homeostasis

Wow! People really seem to like this pairing! I'd be glad to write more for ya. Even I'm a little weirded out by how well this pair works. Enjoy the fic. I do not own. For reference on this chapter, Neko is a cat, Mako is a type of shark. 

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Part 3 - "Homeostasis"

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For the first time in several years, Kisame felt secure enough to sink into a deep sleep, resting more than his body. Even his usual nightmares didn't bother him in that state beneath sleep. When he finally woke up he actually felt completely rested and not the least bit on edge. He stretched, noticing that there was a new outfit waiting on the dresser next to the bathroom door. Rubbing his sore neck, he yawned, lazily making his way to the shower, absently letting the water run down his skin. He was determined to live up to his word, to fulfill this new, badly needed purpose in life. This was a strange town with everything so unfamiliar to him, and he couldn't help but feel somewhat uncomfortable here. Maybe after a few days it would get better.

He heard the main door in the lounge close as Temari returned from wherever she had been that morning and he finished up in the shower, trying on the clothes she left. All she had managed to find that would fit him was a black tank top and loose pants, as well as a spare pair of shoes. Over that he put his tan cloak and figured it would have to do. He looked back at the folded Akatsuki cloak on the bed, sighing audibly. Should he keep it? If for no other reason, he would keep it for the memories, good or bad. He packed it away along with his old Mist headband, stashing it in an inner pocket where it could stay indefinitely, a constant reminder of the life behind him.

A slight knock on the door; he muttered for her to come in, and he stood next to the bed tugging on his cloak with an irritated expression. The thing went over his entire form, and he found it hard to move his arms. As Temari came through the door he grabbed his kunai and split the fabric from the neck to the end, retying it so the cloak became more of a cape. Seeing her confused expression, he shrugged and grinned. She smirked at his cheery expression. "You ready to go?"

"Where are we going?"

"I need to figure out as much as I can about your fighting style, so I'll take you to one of the underground training areas. Well, after you eat, of course. You slept in pretty late, it's almost lunch time."

His eyes widened but a smile tilted on one side of his face. "I guess being underground can make it hard to wake up with the sun."

"I've gotten used to it." She thought for a second, wondering how to best word her next question. "So what kind of food do you like?"

He smirked. "Anything that's not fish. Can't stomach anything that looks like a fish. I guess my favorite thing is dango, but I can't live off sweet stuff." His smile vanished into a set line, remembering those days in tea houses, eating dango across from his friend, enjoying the isolation. It seemed like so long ago.

She chose not to notice his sudden mood change. "We don't get fish here very often, so I'm sure you'll be pleased. I was going to go to one of the tea houses nearby and have some miso soup. Would you like to come?"

He hesitated only slightly before following her out the door. "Alright." He grabbed his pack off the bed, shifting the weight to his back before shutting off the lights. Out in public... What would these people think of him? Without his concealing hat, he felt a little exposed. But Temari smiled back at him reassuringly, and he felt better about it. Nobody was going to hurt him, especially not when he was in her company. He just followed after her, ignoring the fearful glances and the disgusted stares like he always did, concentrating only on her smiling face, focused on following her to the tea house.

They sat near the door, shrouded from the street by the large curtains covering half the entrance. Something about this place reminded him of a time long ago when he and Itachi had sat in a similar manner at a place in Konoha, enjoying tea and dango before making their first assault on the kyuubi vessel Naruto. Everything he saw reminded him of his deceased friend, and he mentally sighed with reminiscence. He sat across from her at their booth, looking down at the table blankly until she spoke, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Hey, I was wondering... where is your sword?"

He shifted and brought a scroll out of his pack. "I sealed it up for now. I can take it out if I ever need it. What about that big fan of yours? Is that your weapon?"

"Usually. I use it to create large gusts and combine it with my other attacks. It doesn't so much slice as it shreds, really."

He grinned a wide, toothy grin, appreciating the analogy. "The same is true for Samehada, it shreds more than slices. Leaves everything in a big bloody mess most often."

She smiled back at him, nodding. "It will be interesting to see that in action." She looked up as their server arrived at their table, a familiar glance shot at Temari but a queasy look at Kisame. He frowned but gave his order anyway, glad to see her leave. When she was gone, Temari frowned as well, looking at him sympathetically. "It's like that everywhere, isn't it?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Itachi would ignore the lust filled gazes of women and I would ignore the terrified glares. It was always hard, but I guess I got used to it. I'd even grin at some of the weaker females just to send them screaming out of the room. It was good for a quick laugh but it never really helped. That's why I cared about him so much. He didn't care what I looked like, we just fought side by side no matter what, protecting each other because we had respect for each other. I guess that's what I miss the most."

"I know that Gaara trusts you, and if you try, I know you'll get his respect too. You saw the way he looked at you, he understands how hard it is. I understand too, so you already have two good friends here. And when Kankuro gets back, I'm sure he'll warm up to you too."

He paused, finally looking up at her. "Thanks, Temari." His expression went from a smile to neutral as their server returned with their food, making haste to get them served and get out of there as quickly as possible. He sighed, poking his stew with his chopsticks, feeling irritated.

She watched him sadly, knowing how much this affected him but not being able to do much about it. All she could do was offer her support. Maybe that was enough? Maybe it was enough that she looked at him openly instead of with discrimination, seeing what was underneath the altered exterior. She focused on her food, eating quietly as she let him think, appreciating the calm quiet that they had between each other. Initially she had expected him to be the loud, boisterous type, always open and talking about something. Instead he was quiet, thoughtful, a latent intelligence lingering beneath. Maybe he used to be the type that struck up a conversation constantly, but something had subdued whatever he had been before.

As soon as they finished their food, Kisame insisted on paying the bill, and with a grin he followed Temari to the underground training arena, completely empty for the day. He glanced around the seemingly abandoned room with confusion. "Nobody's here today?"

She shook her head. "No, normally this area is for jounin only, and they all tend to practice in the morning and not the afternoon. Ready to fight?"

He smirked and summoned Samehada from his scroll, hefting it to his shoulder. "Always!"

She readied her fan, opening it to the first painted moon on the folded fabric, holding it at an angle. With a flick, she send her fan's gusts straight at him but he blocked with the Samehada, the wind flying all around it but deflected by the sword's power. A little frustrated, she opened the fan to the second moon, seeing if the Samehada could block the stronger gust. Sure enough, the Samehada was a powerful sword. It was legendary, after all. Third moon? Why not...! The gust of the fan at full strength was enough to leave enormous rifts in the wall all around Kisame but again the mighty sword held strong. She couldn't help but stare. "What is with that weird sword...?"

He grinned and shrugged. "You used chakra to help those gusts. Samehada eats chakra, so whatever you did got completely negated."

"So fight me without that thing!" She grinned and put aside her fan, taking a strictly hand-to-hand stance. He smirked, his teeth glinting under the large lamps as he set Samehada aside, taking his own stance. For a moment they stood there, observing the other before moving, dashing suddenly into close combat, exchanging blow for blow on a surprisingly equal standing. Both of them depended heavily on their weapons and ninjutsu, so both weren't the best at strict close combat and they actually had the same amount of skill. Kisame grinned with joy when he noticed this, feeling that strange similarity again.

For at least an hour this fight went on, back and forth, neither faltering. In a mirrored action they charged close, their hands pointing to the other's throat as they stared from the short distance between their noses, panting heavily. They paused, a complete stalemate, grinning at each other and breathing rapidly, only inches away. He tilted his head to the side with a smirk. "Pretty good, little sand neko."

Her eyebrow raised, amused by this nickname. "You too, mist mako." She grinned and kissed him on the cheek, knocking him down on his back when his surprise caused him to hesitate. "But not good enough!" She shifted her weight to one hip, grinning victoriously as she pranced back to pick up her fan, leaving him sitting on the ground in shock. What just happened? Well, she only just kicked your ass after kissing you, he told himself. He leaned forward, sitting over his knees as he watched her with curiosity, wondering why she did that. However, he was determined to go down fighting! He'd get her back!

He smiled when she came back to help him up. "I guess you got me this time."

"You shouldn't let your guard down like that." Her grin was smug but kind.

He leaned close, grinning wider, then planted a kiss on her cheek and knocking her to the ground when she held her own moment of shock. His laugh was loud and cheerful. "Speak for yourself." He laughed even harder when she pouted at him, but soon she snickered and let out her own loud laugh, the two distracted from the world for this one precious moment, taking a small amount of joy in these hard times.

------

A/N: Another day, another chapter. Whew. And that means time for... SLEEP! Please read and review!


	4. Contribution

Huzzah for chapter 4! Hopefully this one will be a little longer. I've been in a crapload of physical pain, so it's been hard to type this up. I can't sit here typing for more than five minutes at a time, and I often lose track of my thought process! I hope you enjoy this anyway! 

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Part 4 - "Contribution"

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Awkward silence. That was all the two could manage for the rest of the day. Even though they didn't say anything, it was clear what had happened before. She had shown interest in him, and he had returned the interest. True, it had been a playful joke at first, but there were serious implications underneath. Silently, they both knew what this meant. They could either pretend like it never happened and move on, or recognize that it had happened and continue the advance.

They sat in the same tea house in the same place as before and Kisame thought she probably came to this place regularly. The same server came to their table, this time used to his appearance and actually managing to hold a straight face when she looked at him. Temari still glared after the young woman icily, getting sick of the way others treated people like him. She sighed, turning her tea cup with concentration, staring down at the golden liquid before looking back up at him. "There's nothing else we have to do today. Would you mind me showing you around the village a bit? I know it's hard to do with all those people around, but..." She trailed off hesitantly.

He leaned on the table, nodding. "Don't worry about me. I'd like to see how people live in this desert." His face had looked subdued before, and now his grin finally started to return.

The positive turn of conversation was reassuring. "It's an interesting process, really. Many of the uppermost levels of the buildings are actually greenhouses, providing most of the food for the entire village. We have deep pipes running through from the rivers to water the small fields as well as the greenhouse plants, and a separate system running the water to the citizens. The livestock is kept near the back of the village, behind the Kazekage's tower."

"Greenhouses, huh?" He was intrigued by the efficiency of this village, but when you choose to live on the desert, efficiency is a must. "That's very creative. Back in the Mist village, the whole area was more or less one big swamp, fit only for rice and other water loving plants. We had to use our own greenhouses to farm the pickier plants. We didn't really keep livestock except for variety. Otherwise it would be nothing but fish, day in and day out." He shuddered violently. "I used to like it, but after you have nothing but fish every day for so many years... it's no wonder I can't stomach it now."

"I don't think I could ever live on fish that long." She made a disgusted face. "I like it sometimes, but I could do without it."

He smirked. "Maybe I don't like fish because I look like one."

She laughed lightly and shook her head. "You're the only fish I can stand!"

His grin only widened. "Only sometimes, right?"

"Well, no..." Her look became serious as she smiled. "Actually, I've enjoyed having you around. I've heard all sorts of things about you before, but none of them match up to what I've seen so far. Really, I expected you to be quite a handful, but you're actually well mannered and kind."

He chuckled, not looking her in the eye. "I'm not such a bad guy when I'm off the field. But so far, only the people close to me have seen me when I'm not on a mission, so I'm not surprised by what you heard. Even criminals have a code of honor, and I still abide by mine, Akatsuki or not."

She hesitated, then reached out and put her hand on top of his. "I'll learn not to judge so quickly next time"  
Their gaze was broken by the server returning with their food and Temari blushed slightly, returning her hand back to her side. The server raised an eyebrow at the peculiar scene but thankfully let it go, delivering their meals and leaving them alone. After another one of those long, awkward silences, he finally spoke again.

"I've come to expect things like that. When I was a teenager, it really bothered me to be looked at and judged right away. But as I got older and I joined up with the other swordsmen, I gained their acceptance and it was all I needed. Now I'm back to square one and nothing to go on."

"It's not unlike what Gaara went through." She paused to take a sip of tea, thinking her answer over carefully. "He used to have nobody to depend on, no friends, and only myself and Kankuro as his surviving family. Even we fell by the wayside when he got angry, insisting on killing everything in sight just to prove his existence. Then he changed... something happened to make him think differently about himself. It must have been Naruto. Those two understood each other so well. And then he made the effort to gain acceptance in other ways, without killing mercilessly, and look where he is now! Yeah, I'm sure it was because of Naruto. Without him, who knows where Gaara would be."

Kisame stared for a moment then nodded. "That kid in orange, right? Yeah, I remember him, somewhat. We were supposed to capture him, but it didn't go very well. But yeah, if Gaara can understand me... maybe I can start to understand the other jinchuuriki. Maybe I can even understand that weird Naruto kid too."

She smiled up at him. "Maybe you can understand yourself."

He looked at his cup for a moment, considering everything she said. "I guess after following what everyone else wanted for so long, I never knew much about myself. I've started fresh so many times now, once more couldn't hurt."

This time she held on to his hand, not caring if anyone else saw it. "It'll be different this time, you have help. Real help, with friends that won't use you."

He gave her hand a reassuring grip and nodded. "This time I'll be sure not to screw up."

------

The two toured the city until it was nearly dusk, paying a visit to the greenhouses and other areas of interest in the desert village. When they finally came to the last place, a large reservoir of water, Temari looked down into the tank with dismay.

"Oh no... The reservoir is almost empty!" She peered down into the enormous tank, knowing that the water coming from the rivers this time of year would never be enough. After one last glance, she spotted Gaara coming up the stairs leading to the top of the tank.

The young man took his own glance into the reservoir and looked just as shocked. "Even after that rainy season, we were left so dry?"

Temari cursed, glaring down at the low level of water. "I really thought it would last until the rivers flowed stronger again. What will we do?"

"Borrow from other villages if we have to."

"We'd never be able to afford the expense."

Kisame looked down into the tank, then back at the other two. With a grin, he motioned for them to stay back. "Suiton, Bakusui Shouha! (Explosive water shockwave)" In an instant, Kisame summoned an enormous amount of water, his immense chakra being more than enough to fill the tank to three-quarters. When he finished, he sank to one knee, panting but smiling. "I've never summoned that much water before... Will that be enough to last?"

Gaara and Temari both looked at him with wide eyes, and Temari nodded, still amazed by this technique. How much chakra did this guy have? "Y-yeah, it's... it'll last a while. How did you have the chakra to do that?"

He stood shakily, leaning on the railing for support. "I have a huge reserve of chakra, it's one of the effects of the demon inside me."

Gaara nodded, looking down into the reservoir thoughtfully. "Your demon is coming in very handy for this desert village. Water is a precious resource to us."

Kisame grinned and shrugged. "It's no problem. I've got plenty to spare any time!"

"Thank you. I might have to take you up on that offer sometime." He smiled up at the shark nin, glad that he had let the rogue into his village. More and more he found himself growing to like this man, knowing that he had finally found one guaranteed use for him. With a polite nod, he walked back down the stairs, leaving the other two to talk alone.

Kisame faltered, falling to the ground as soon as Gaara was out of sight. "I overdid it a little..."

Temari knelt at his side, grinning down at him. "Just a little? That was amazing! I had no idea you could do something like that. Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine once I get some rest." He tried to get up but his body barely budged. "If I can ever get up..."

She braced him and rested some of his weight on her shoulder as she boosted him to his feet, supporting his bulk as best as her light frame could bear. "Geez, you're heavy!"

He chuckled, his whole body shaking both from the laugh and the strain on his whole system caused by chakra abuse. "Sorry... Next time I'll try to make a bit less water."

"You'd better! I don't think I could ever lift you if you passed out completely."

He grinned but didn't say anything, just trying to stay conscious until they made it back to their shared complex. The moment he made it to his bed, he collapsed on top, not even bothering to change clothes as he lay there with exhaustion. Heck, he hadn't had such a good chakra exercise in years! "I hope I get to do that again. I needed the practice."

She laughed, knowing that his joking attitude meant he'd be alright. Shaking her head, she sat down nearby on the bed, looking down at him. "We get droughts from time to time, I'm sure you'll get to do it several times. Your technique will save lives, you know."

He rolled so he could look back at her. "Really?"

"Of course! People would die of thirst every year if we didn't import from other villages during the dry season. But now we have you... we don't have to pay for water."

His chest rumbled again with a chuckle. "I guess I'm coming in useful after all. You know... if that really does save people... I don't mind having this demon." His eyes widened as he realized something more. "You know what else?"

She smiled. "What?"

He smiled, but it was an odd smile, one of complacency and not amused pleasure. "I like myself the way I am."

Her eyes widened with happiness and she nodded, her hand resting on the side of his face comfortably. "You should." She noticed the peculiar gills on his cheekbones, not at all frightened or disgusted. On the contrary, she was attracted- Wait, did she really think that word? Oh, she did!- to this exotic appearance. Nothing about the way he looked made her think any differently about him. Appearances were so shallow anyway. What intrigued her most was his willpower, wanting to move on even though the options were so grim.

Intrigued? Attracted? Was she growing fond of him? She mentally blushed at the thought, not sure what she thought. Why had she teasingly kissed him that time they fought? Normally she wouldn't have done such a thing to anyone, much less someone she met so recently. Yet, something about him seemed so easy going and pleasing. She really valued his company. And, she admitted to herself, she was indeed growing fond of him.

------

A/N: Well it's about time. Which means... next chapter will have fluff! Joy! R&R please.


	5. Together

Gah, SO many stories to update! So tempting to go on a hiatus just to stay sane. But I can't ignore the awesome fan girls, can I? Well, don't expect daily updates, okay? Awesome. Now, I promised you fluff, and fluff you shall have! ENJOY! 

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Part 5 - "Together"

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Kisame was the main topic around town that entire week. Before long, everyone had gotten over the initial shock of having an ex-Akatsuki member in the village and a few even had the courage to talk to him. Even so, he was still stared at and feared by most, just like anywhere else he had ever been. He didn't care. For once, he was proud of what he was, encouraged by the faith of a certain two people in his life. Especially her. Something about her made him forget what he was, all his regrets and faults. When he saw everything wrong about what he was, she saw everything that was right, the two of them balancing one and the other equally. A fleeting thought slowly wriggled its way through his mind.

**You like her.** He pushed that thought away with his own retaliation.

_Not in that way._

**Why not?**

_It's not right._

**Isn't it? Don't you care about her?**

_Yeah, but... We're from different worlds, she's much younger than I am, it can't work._

**You're only 32. She's... what, 18? That's not so bad. So what if she's from the sand, and you're from the mist? You love her, just admit it.**

_Love?! Hey now, I never said anything about that!_

**No, but I know what you really think. I'm your conscience, after all...** The voice let him be after that comment, chuckling as it made its convenient exit. He lay there in bed thinking about what his conscience kept telling him, knowing it was right. As strange as it may have seemed from his perspective, he had grown attached to the little sand nin. Whoever heard of such a strange relationship? Would it even work? Did she even think anything of him in return? As he pondered this, he had no idea that Temari was thinking the exact same thing.

What does he think of me? she wondered to herself. She lay awake in bed, not wanting to move even though it was time to start the day. Instead her mind wandered over the several thoughts inside her mind, her conscience telling her to do something about the emotions she had slowly developed for the shark nin.

**You should tell him.** That voice in her head sure was persistent.

_But what if he doesn't want a relationship?_

**It would be better than not knowing.**

_What if he gets mad and doesn't want to talk to me anymore? That would be worse._

**What if he does have feelings for you? That would be so much better.**

_I can't risk that._

**Since when don't you take risks? Are you turning into a coward?**

_No!_ She sat up abruptly, throwing aside the covers and grabbing her outfit angrily, adjusting the kimono hastily. Like hell she was a coward! She was going to march right over there and tell him exactly what she thought!

Kisame sat up in bed, his mind reeling over the idea of telling her. Well, he wouldn't get anything done by sitting here in bed and waiting. Might as well get it over with. He put on his outfit, stretching and walking out the door slowly, nearly running head-on with Temari. After getting over the initial shock of having a near collision, he looked down at her with a casual smile. "Hey. What's with that angry look?"

She realized that her anger with herself had carried over into her expression and she immediately replaced it with a smile. "Oh! No, it's nothing. I was just... er... just coming to see if you were awake yet!" Oh yeah. Real smooth.

"Oh? Well... I'm awake." Nice going, Kisame. Real nice.

She hesitated. Just tell him already! "Uh... actually, I wanted to ask you something..."

He hesitated. Just tell her already! "Really? I did too."

"You go first." She smiled, her conscience yelling at her. Let him do it? Are you serious?

He looked to the side, a small blush creeping across his face. "N-no, it's not that important, you go first."

Her conscience finally won, convincing her to tell him or at least DO something about it. She decided not to actually say anything, just looking up at him curiously. Finally letting her inner self do the work, she stepped up on her toes and put a hand around the back of his neck, pulling herself up to his height as she gave him a shy kiss. To her surprise- and his, for that matter- he responded by putting his arms around her waist and lifting her slightly to be better able to reach, kissing her back. Although he was a shark-like nin, his teeth really weren't as sharp as they appeared to be. It was a pleasant experience, actually, though both were horribly inexperienced and sloppy. After a few seconds they both got the hang of it and by the time they had to pull away for breath it had been nearly perfect. She looked up at him with a wide grin. "So is that what you wanted to tell me too?"

He nodded, still a little nervous. "Yeah..."

"It'll work somehow." She smiled reassuringly and gave him a slight hug, staying there for a moment as he pulled her closer, neither sure how this would work out. They were from different worlds, different countries, different lifestyles, different everything. But one thing they had in common that guaranteed their relationship was the trust and respect they had for their true selves, the things that lay beyond the exterior. He knew then that when she looked at him, she didn't see a monster, she didn't see a poor man cursed with a demon, she only saw Kisame, the person with a big heart and a friendly spirit.

------

In the two weeks that followed, Kisame adapted to life in the desert just as those around him adapted to his presence in the village. Soon the terrified stares dwindled to curious ones, and finally to mild interest. As that time went slowly by, Kisame and Temari had allowed their relationship to grow at a steady rate, not wanting to rush. Soon enough, Kankuro had returned from his long mission, though it was an understatement to say that he was shocked by what had happened in his absence. Granted, he had been away for a long while, and he had expected things to change a little, but... this took the cake! Akatsuki had fallen, Kisame the SHARK NINJA had joined the SAND VILLAGE and was... dating his sister?? He hid in his room for a whole day, leaving Kisame to take the couch for the night.

Soon enough, Kankuro recovered and started to talk to Kisame, slowly but surely growing some sort of subtle bond. Today the two had gone to Temari's favorite tea house, using her booth while she was away for the day. The waitress had actually greeted both of them in a friendly manner, quite used to Kisame by this point. After they ordered their food, Kankuro tried to get to know Kisame a little better.

"So... This guy Madara, he's the one that was controlling Akatsuki? That's tough. Reminds me of Orochimaru..."

"Yeah, that's what Temari said. As soon as my probation is up, I'll be able to pursue Madara to my heart's content. I'll invite you along if you want."

"Oh, and when will that be?"

He paused, trying to remember. "I think it was only a month, so it should be over in a few days." He chuckled heavily, glancing up at the puppet user slightly. "I'm surprised how well you're taking all of this."

He smiled, nodding slowly. "It was a bit... much at first, I'll admit that. But when I thought about it a little harder, you're not much different from how we were back then, when Orochimaru betrayed us. Sometimes we all need a second chance."

Kisame laughed even harder at that. "I'm probably on my fourth or fifth chance by now!"

"Well... sometimes that's what it takes, right? I thought I used up all my chances when Sasori left me in the desert, but I was given another chance again. You have to take the good with the bad, no compromises."

"Idiot Sasori... couldn't just let you escape. You were obviously no match for him, he could have just knocked you out and let it be, he had to make you suffer like that. Honestly... that jerk never did have any honor."

His face contorted into a grimace, but then to something reflecting amusement. "Heh... I never imagined you to be a guy that went by some code of honor."

"Ah, well... being like me, going through what I've gone through... you start to get different ideas of what's right and what isn't. Sure, I like to play around a little if my opponent is interesting, but I'm not overly cruel. Most of the time I only drew out battles to stall for time, not because I wanted my opponent to suffer."

He paused, thinking carefully. "Yeah. You're not so bad now that I've gotten to know you. I guess you can't really expect what people tell you. So uh..." He fiddled with his cup, avoiding the shark nin's eyes. "What... what's the deal with Temari, anyway?"

Kisame looked away with embarrassment, fiddling with his own cup nervously. "Er... I'm really not sure how that happened. One day she just... kissed me and that was it."

His eyebrow raised with astonishment. "Huh... well, you know... I guess as long as she's happy and all... I'll be glad for her. It's hard to get used to the idea of an ex-Akatsuki dating my sister..."

He managed a nervous chuckle. "Don't worry. I really do care about her. I'll be sure to do everything I can to make sure she's well."

Kankuro also chuckled lightly. "Yeah. I can tell you really mean it. I can also tell she cares just as much, so... You know, I'm okay with it. You're a great guy, actually." He fidgeted in his seat nervously. "Yeah, so... enough with that sentimental stuff. What about this Madara guy?"

Kisame grinned, his eyes flicking up with amusement. "It's a long story..."

"Not a problem." He grinned up at the shark nin kindly. "I have all day."

------

A/N: Woo! Had to update and give you all some fluffy goodness. Pretty soon Kisame will encounter Zetsu! And... someone else! Stick around and please please review!


	6. Support

Bleh... Since I'm tying this in with Forbidden Delicacy, I have to update the other one a bit more to make sure they're running at the same pace. That's the problem with tying fics together. Anyway, if this doesn't get updated as quick as you'd like, it's because I'm catching the relating fics up. Please be patient. 

NOTICE: I will be gone the 8th - 16th this week. Which means no computer, and no fics.

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Part 6 - "Support"

------

After a few days had passed, Gaara called Kisame to his office to tell him of his official release from probation. However, there was more to add to this conversation.

"Kisame, I've also received word from Konoha that some of your comrades have been recovered. Zetsu, Hidan and Kakuzu have all been found."

Kisame's silvery eyes widened. "Zetsu's alive? I figured Hidan would be, all they did was bury him in a hole, but... Kakuzu too?"

"It would seem so. Also, they have joined the Konoha alliance and are willing to work with Suna to take down Madara. The Hokage wrote that their probation should be up any day now as well, and we should be prepared soon. They will send Zetsu to scout and try to find Madara's location, and Konan if he has time."

The shark nin shook his head. "Konan won't be found. She has a funny way of disappearing. It's good that Zetsu will scout, though. I don't know if we could have found Madara without him. He knows that guy better than any of us, he'll find him, I know it."

"Good." He leaned forward, his eyes concentrating. Only he and Kisame were in the room today. "Another thing that interests me is what has been going on with you and Temari... I asked Kankuro about it, and I wondered what you had to say."

He was taken back by the sudden inquiry. "Oh, well... Yeah, I told him about it. I don't have much to say about it, really. It happened kinda suddenly."

The young man looked like he was about to grin but thought better of it and changed it to a smile. "I see. I won't keep you waiting any longer. Until we hear word from Konoha about Madara's whereabouts, feel free to do as you wish. I don't have any missions for you at the moment and preparation for the upcoming battle with Madara has taken priority."

Kisame nodded respectfully. "Right, I'll wait until you tell me otherwise."

The shark nin was just about to exit the office, but Gaara added something as an afterthought. "Oh, Kisame?"

"Yes, Kazekage-sama?"

He smiled mischievously. "Don't worry about Temari. Nobody will oppose it."

With his usual grin, Kisame nodded as he stepped out the door. "Thank you."

------

How had HE ended up being the one pinned against the wall? When he had gone back to the apartment he shared with Temari and Kankuro, he had found her alone and waiting for him with a very odd expression on her face. It didn't take him long to figure out what exactly she was waiting for now that his back was up against the wall and here she was, kissing him again. With a mental shrug, he gave in to this sudden affection and let her do what she wanted. When she finally let up and set him free, he chuckled and grinned at her.

"A little anxious today?" Seriously, what had gotten into her?

She smirked, her mouth quirking to one side. "Why shouldn't I be? Everyone is anxious..." Her look turned from playful to sad and thoughtful in a blink. "It's only a few more days before we go to fight Madara, right? What if you get killed?"

He grew just as serious, putting his hand on her cheek thoughtfully. "Don't worry, we do have Zetsu, Hidan and Kakuzu on our side now, as well as anyone else the Konoha Hokage can come up with. And then there's you, and me, and maybe Kankuro right?"

"Yeah but..." She hesitated, blushing slightly. "I just... don't want to think about what I would do if..."

He hugged her reassuringly, putting his chin on top of her head as he drew her close. "I know, but I'm not going down that fast. I've made it this far, after all, and it wasn't because I was young and stupid and took on more than I could handle." She held on tightly, knowing he had a point. That was an advantage of having someone older than her around, someone with more experience in life and a bit of wisdom. It was only a 14-year difference between their ages, though it had made him more cautious and knowledgeable.

"I guess I'm just a little worried."

A wide smirk crept onto his face. "You sure you're not a little scared?"

Her eyes sparked defiantly. "Scared! I'm not a coward, I don't let things like that scare me! Sure, I get a little worried and concerned, but I'm not afraid!"

He laughed hard, his whole body shaking from the effort. "No, no, you're not." But he kept her close, his voice low as he said his next comment. "But I am. Just a little."

She stiffened suddenly, but relaxed, her voice just as low. "What could possibly scare a big guy like you?"

A low chuckle sounded again, and she could hear his deep voice rumble through his chest. "A few things. Sometimes I look up in the sky and remember something I told Itachi once. He asked me what happens when you reach the peak of perfection, and I told him that when that happens, something bigger and better than you comes up from behind and proves that you really knew nothing all along."

"A fear of the unknown, maybe?"

He nodded, looking down at her. "Even the great white shark has things to fear in the sea. No matter how big you get, there's always something bigger."

She grinned wide. "You said it yourself, though! We still have your friends to help us. The sharks in the ocean don't have any friends to call on for help. That's the difference."

His trademark grin spread across his face instantly. "That's true."

"And that's what makes you different. You know you can't do things on your own, that's why you've lived as long as you have, right?" She poked his chest teasingly.

"Yeah, the only two other swordsmen I've heard of tried to do thing on their own, and that didn't work out very well. They had maybe one or two people, but..." His voice dropped low again. "I have this whole village behind me... don't I?"

"And Konoha too." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before she slipped out the door, leaving him to grin after her. He had more support than he had ever imagined possible. All because of this young woman that saw what everyone else had failed to.

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A/N: I know it's short! But I'm about to leave town and I wanted to get this up! GAH! I'm soooooorry!


	7. First Mission

Chapter 7, yay! Hopefully this chapter will be nice and long. I hope.

* * *

Part 7 - "First Mission"

* * *

To put it simply, the situation they were in really sucked. At least, that was what Kisame was saying to himself right now. The two had needed to travel all the way to Kirigakure, the village in the mist, to complete a mission for Gaara. It was a mission of diplomatic importance, and required someone who knew the land and people well. Someone like Kisame, bar the whole missing nin part. Since he had been accepted by Suna, Kisame worried that this might have an effect on their negotiations. Not like it was his choice to leave Kiri in the first place, he reminded himself. Unlike everyone else in Akatsuki, he had not left his home village of his own free will. This might also cause some tension...

"I never knew it could get so humid out here." Temari wiped her brow with the back of her hand, the dense fog dripping down her temples. "It's like a hot shower without the heat!"

He grinned, walking just in front of her. "First time in Kiri, right?"

"Yeah. Suna has been on hostile terms with Kiri for a long time. Every time we tried to negotiate, things turned sour because we couldn't understand each other. Maybe you can help us now."

He paused in his walking, turning to face her. "I won't lie, the Mizukage is a corrupt, harsh person. He won't be easy to convince."

With a sigh, she shrugged, starting to walk beside him again. "I'm sure of that. Judging by how few messengers ever came back from here, I don't need to be told that twice."

His foot hit soft mud, and he glanced back to warn her. "Careful, the mud here is like quicksand."

She raised an eyebrow and stepped one foot into the mud cautiously, listening to it squelch beneath her. The mud sucked at her foot as she tried to remove it. "Very wet quicksand. Everything here is some degree of wet!" Her hands flew together in a seal, concentrating her chakra to her feet to walk on the mud safely.

He didn't need to use chakra to walk on the mud, but to save time he did so anyway. "It's a real contrast to Suna, where everything is dry, isn't it?"

"And a real pain." She looked up to see him grinning wide like usual, turning to face forward again as he led the way. What was it like for him to feel unwelcome in his home village? Temari never considered this until now. She couldn't really know how that must feel, after being in Suna all her life, acceptable to everyone. Did he regret his situation? Had he wanted to leave, or did he wish he could have stayed there forever? Did he have a past or even family here? Well, of course he had a past, but... was it a past he wanted to never think about again? Could she ask him about it?

"There." She looked up to see him pointing at a cliff in the distance, still several miles away from the swamp they were trudging in. "That's where the main building of the village is."

She seemed a bit confused. "Why are we going through the swamp instead of the main road?"

There went that ridiculously wide smirk again. "Everyone hates this swamp, we shouldn't get much opposition."

She reluctantly agreed. "Yes, although we come on diplomatic terms, that doesn't always guarantee that we will have no problems here. I have paperwork that will get us through the gate, but as long as we're outside it, it's anybody's game."

"Exactly why we need to hurry." He grimaced up at the stone escarpment that led to the main village, wondering how many years it had been since he left this place in shame. Although he regretted leaving in the first place, he liked how what had happened changed his life forever. It led to him being in Akatsuki, and finding true comrades. It led to him leaving Akatsuki and finding Temari. It was a strange, complex life for someone who was still fairly young. He suddenly found that he didn't regret anything at all.

They were shaken from their calm silence by a senbon needle barely missing Kisame's head, his reaction time quick enough to avoid it easily. Thinking quickly, he picked Temari's light form and dashed back a few paces, away from the sticky mud and onto a drier grassy hill. She brandished her fan quickly, wind surging forth to scatter the flying shuriken tossed at them. From behind, Kisame blocked the sword of a hunter nin with Samehada, his back against Temari's as she dealt with the long range fighters.

The hunter nin dodged Kisame's following swipe, looking at him curiously. "Hoshigake Kisame, for your crimes against your home village I am authorized to place you under arrest."

Temari glared at him. "We're here on the Kazekage's diplomatic purposes, you will find record of it back in the city."

This man with a blue streaked white mask paused. "We're not here for you, girl. We are here for the shark. You may go on ahead."

Kisame growled menacingly. "I don't think so--"

"Like Hell I'm going to do that!" He was cut off by Temari's sudden outburst. She flicked her fan at the hunter nin, catching him off guard and sending him flying into a tree. To her surprise, he eventually recovered and stood ready again.

"Then we will execute you both." The two hunter nin attacked at once, trading blow for blow against the sand nin. If one got anywhere near Temari, Kisame would block immediately, just as he knew she would do for him. From day one, Kisame had been told that emotions on the battle field were useless and a complete hindrance. He knew better by now, knowing that if anything, they were a strength. Reliance on a partner didn't mean that you had a lack of confidence in your own ability, it meant that you trusted someone enough to depend on them, and they could depend on you. He learned that from... fighting next to Itachi. The same Itachi who didn't allow Kisame to save him, wanting to do things on his own for once. That right there was proof of the importance of partnership.

Before long, both hunter nins were dead, though not without a bit of damage to both Temari and Kisame. He had taken the brunt of the injuries, kunai stuck all down his left shoulder and arm. After wrapping gauze around the wound and carefully removing the kunai, they had climbed all the way up the stony escarpment into the city. The receiving room inside the Mizukage's tower glowed with steady light, the mist creeping even through these stone walls. After showing the secretary their proof of diplomatic purposes, they waited on the low couches in the inner hall.

"Do you think he'll listen?" Temari glanced up at him calmly.

Kisame leaned his head against the wall, looking at the ceiling. "It's hard to say. After all, the seven swordsmen were part of a plot to kill the Mizukage and failed. He'll be pissed to see me again after all that."

Her eyes widened. "You were supposed to kill the Mizukage? But why?"

His eyes suddenly grew sharp. "He was a terrible man. Do you know why this place was once called the Bloody Mist?"

"No, I never heard much about Kiri."

He hesitated slightly, and she could see this bothered him severely. "The genin exam required you to kill off whoever you were fighting against. One by one the students died. We were paired off, sometimes unfairly, against whoever the leaders wanted. It was either kill or be killed. Sometimes the weaklings were paired against the strongest in the class as a joke, and those people would laugh at the quick spilling of blood. People that you were friends with, ate lunch with, people who encouraged you to do your best... those were the ones that you had to kill with your own hands."

"That's terrible..."

His fist clenched suddenly. "They made me fight my brother."

She avoided his eyes, knowing how the outcome had gone seeing as he was here in front of her. "How could they do that?"

"I don't know. Something inside me snapped that day. And then Zabuza snapped, and killed every single student training for the genin exam one day. Ever since then, the exam no longer had anyone get killed. The Mizukage was still a harsh man, though, weeding out the weaklings by giving them unfairly difficult missions and making sure they never completed them. Our band of seven organized to take him down because of those practices."

She finally looked back up at him. "That's a surprisingly noble cause, I think."

He shrugged. "If treachery was ever noble, it was only then." He silenced immediately as he heard the sound of approaching footsteps, the messenger greeting them and leading them into the Mizukage's office. The pale blue paint on the walls had started to peel in the corner, wilting in the years of severe humidity. Though the place didn't smell of mold or other moisture loving rot, something about this room reeked of dread. Kisame tensed, remembering all too well the last time he had been here. It was so long.

The pale gray eyes of the Mizukage bored into each of them. "Hoshigake Kisame... Now there is one I never expected to see alive." Then his eyes flickered to the sand headband, and he frowned noticeably. "Not only that, but you have joined the enemy twice now."

Once for Akatsuki, once for sand. Kisame didn't let it bother him. "We have come to negotiate peaceful terms on behalf of our countries."

The gray haired man looked astonished, then burst out laughing. "Peace! My my, you must be joking! Why would I declare peace with Sunagakure, and consequentially be at peace with Konoha, no less?"

Temari took over the conversation. "Akatsuki has fallen, but the remaining threat of Uchiha Madara is a danger to everyone. If we work together, he can be removed once and for all, and his plans of domination will-"

"Absolutely not." She was cut off by his harsh tone. "If Akatsuki truly has fallen, then what can one man do against an entire shinobi nation?"

Kisame held out his hands imploringly. "I can tell you first hand how dangerous an Uchiha is, especially the one who can use the Mangekyo Sharingan without consequence. If he is anything like Itachi, he may have the power to use Tsukiyomi or Amaterasu without the debilitating effects that Itachi experienced. If Itachi hadn't been burdened with such things, he could have easily survived, but... Uchiha Madara is older and wiser than Itachi was. He may have an even more dangerous plan up his sleeve yet. He was the first to control the Kyuubi, after all. The strongest bijuu with the most chakra at its command. Anyone that can control such a monstrosity is worth preparing properly for."

The Mizukage seemed to consider this, though his cold stare never changed. "And why should I listen to you, of all people? After all, it was your group of seven that tried to assassinate me, and then you became a rogue and did things for the benefit of Akatsuki."

He chuckled and grinned wide. "Because it takes one to know one."

"No. The village of the mist has always been self sufficient. If this Madara really is a threat, then we will deal with him ourselves if and when he shows himself. Go, return to the desert and tell your Kazekage that I never want to see his representatives ever again."

Temari started to protest, but Kisame silenced her with his raised hand. "As you see fit." He didn't really expect the Mizukage to agree with their plans, but a thought suddenly came to him. "Too bad the Mist wouldn't want to take him down themselves... It would be a deed of great prestige, to say that you killed the very man that helped the tree of Konoha take root..."

His eyebrow raised at this. "A founder of Konoha? How can he possibly be alive?"

"I've been wondering that myself. I wonder which of us will find out first."

He knew all too well that the Mizukage could not resist a challenge. "Well, maybe we will have to see who will kill him first. I will not ally with your shinobi, but neither will your shinobi come to harm from Mist shinobi. If you kill him first, then so be it, but if we kill him first..."

"All shinobi involved will get their fair chance, I'm certain. I didn't expect any more from you than that."

"Nor would I give it. Go now, before I change my mind."

"Of course." Kisame didn't miss the gleam of mischievous amazement in Temari's eye as they exited the office, and as soon as they left the tower, she voiced her opinion.

"I knew you'd come through somehow."

He chuckled, nodding reassuringly. "He can't give up a challenge. That's what made him so ruthless in the first place. He never tolerated weak shinobi, always challenging himself to make a better army than every other shinobi nation. He's insane, but it gave us a perfect way to get to him."

"Hopefully we won't find any more hunters on the way back..."

"No... The Mizukage may be heartless, but he is honorably heartless. If he says that we will go unopposed, he means it." Kisame paused in his tracks suddenly. "Can we stop somewhere first?"

Her eyebrows raised curiously. "Where?" When he glanced at her uneasily, she decided to take back the question. "Alright, we do have some time if you want to."

"Thanks." He turned away, not looking her in the eye as he took the lead, not wanting to think about what would happen if he went back to this place. Would he be rejected at the doorway, still not knowing after all these years? Surely they couldn't understand... But maybe, just maybe... they might listen. He eyed the tall gated portion of Kirigakure uneasily, staring at the tall terraces that peeked over the top of the gate. Hesitantly, he walked past the gate, Temari following after him. As soon as they entered the gate, a guard approached them.

"Excuse me, are you here on some... business..." His eyes widened when he recognized Kisame. "Oh, you... you are...!"

Kisame cut off his excitement quickly. "Yes, could you tell him I'm here?"

He stammered slightly. "I-I need to see some proof..."

Kisame opened up a small pouch inside his pack, placing a ring on the palm of the man's hand. "That should be proof enough."

"Right..." He ran into the large, elegant house ahead, surrounded by terraced hills and smaller houses of the same elegant style. Temari considered asking what exactly this place was, but after seeing that the guard recognized Kisame and then noting Kisame's anxious expression, she decided against speaking. Things were hard enough already. The guard returned quickly, bowing stiffly. "Please come in, he'll see you now." He returned the ring to Kisame, but the shark nin didn't put it away, glancing at it fondly as he stepped past the threshold into the decadent inner chamber. Deep blue paint covered the walls, the hall decked with tapestries depicting the ocean and the creatures within. Tall, intricately carved benches sat near the entrance, and ahead lay the main sitting room. The amount of opulence within made Temari slightly nervous, used to the sparce necessities of Suna.

They sat side by side on one of the overstuffed couches in the sitting room, both uneasy for their own reasons. When she finally thought to speak, her voice was barely audible. "Kisame... who are we here to see?" He smiled reassuringly but didn't answer, handing her the ring that he had been absently staring at since he had it returned to him. She looked at the large sapphire on the ring, the depths twinkling in the low light, reading the engraving on the solid metal. Hoshigake Kisame, first clan son, followed by a date and a year. The date was 33 years ago, the day of his birth. So that was why they were here. This prestigious clan was family.

* * *

A/N: Well, bout time I updated this. Just getting in some interesting things before the major battle starts.


	8. Family

Another day, another chapter. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews you have been sending, I love to see them! Please enjoy.

* * *

Part 8 - "Family"

* * *

Temari looked into the sapphire on his clan ring, watching as the cuts inside the gem curved and morphed like waves in the ocean. She felt Kisame tense suddenly as soft footsteps announced the presence of the man they came to see. The tall, broad elder moved with an unnatural stealth, his steps falling easily on the cold hardwood flooring. His eyes were the first thing she saw, pale gray and dark lined just like Kisame. Though he looked similar to Kisame, the demon possession on this particular man was much more severe. He had actual shark skin, rough and sharp, his teeth jagged as he grinned at them widely. His cheekbones were prominent, deep gills flaring as he spoke.

"And here I thought I would never see you again." The man's voice even sounded sharklike, rough and raspy. His clothing was typical of the mist village, though it was obvious that several accommodations had to be made for his size. He sat across from them at the low table, staring at each in turn. His eyes flicked behind his wide nose cautiously, no doubt having heard every last tale of Kisame's adventures.

Kisame glanced around nervously before looking the man in the eye. "I never thought I would live that long, to be honest. After that falling out with the rest of the Seven, it didn't look likely."

"No, I suppose not." He sat back with ease, looking at the girl curiously before noticing both of their Sunagakure headbands. "Are you here on... business?"

He suddenly remembered the obvious nature of his village alignment; he had put it into his subconscious for so long, he nearly forgot about it. "Yes, a diplomatic mission between Suna and Kiri. We have already completed the mission." He stared down at Temari, giving her a nod. "Temari, this man is Hoshigake Torama, the leader of the clan."

Torama nodded graciously, his graying blue hair spiked backwards. "Temari-san. I'm sure you have seen first hand how unreasonable the Mizukage can be."

She bowed respectfully. "Yes, although the negotiations went better than expected."

His eyebrow- or what would have been, if he had one- raised suddenly. "Is that so?" With a toothy smirk, he glanced back at Kisame. "You always did know how to get through to that moron. And now you joined the sand village. What happened with Akatsuki?"

Kisame glanced at the floor with a sigh. "Well, Leader was killed, and then it turned out that Tobi was actually the real leader, plus he had the permanent mangekyo sharingan and... I guess you could say the shit really hit the fan."

His eyes widened at this. "Permanent mangekyo? Yes, I remember you saying something about that. That was your partner's kekkei genkai, if I remember right. Itachi was his name, correct?" At his son's downcast gaze, he guessed the rest. "I see. Then the technique failed him. You have my condolences."

Temari was slightly confused. "Were you a supporter of Akatsuki?"

He spread his arms wide with emphasis. "Not so much a supporter as a sympathizer. The bloody mist has had its fair share of problems stemming from our own kage, and I sympathized with the views that Akatsuki had on overthrowing the corrupt officials. After hearing about the business with the bijuu, however... it kept sounding more and more like a plot to take over the entire world, and I was concerned. Now... Now I'm not sure what to think."

Kisame reassured him. "Akatsuki is over with, and the only one that still wants to rule the world is Uchiha Madara. The new goal of my former comrades is their own, we have all gone our own way."

He smirked. "So do we all. It's all we can do when others mislead us."

Kisame stood abruptly, nodding to Torama. "It is all I intend to do from now on. Perhaps I will see you again... For now, we need to return to our village and make our report."

Temari stood a bit slower, and bowed once again. "Farewell, Torama-san. Thank you for your hospitality."

Torama nodded to them both as they left the house. "You are always welcome here. Be cautious." As soon as they left, he sighed to himself. What about his plans to overthrow the Mizukage? Well, it would have to wait. Maybe there was another way to finish this plan.

* * *

"It seems strange that you were a missing nin, and yet you were welcome in your own home." Temari voiced what had been puzzling her ever since they left the clan house. They were halfway through the return journey to Sunagakure, and only now did she feel comfortable bringing it up.

"I made sure to show up once in a while even after I joined Akatsuki. I wasn't the only one who supported the idea of overthrowing the Mizukage. Most of the noble clans wanted to do it, though my own was a bit more outspoken. It may be that he will get overthrown, even without the aid of Akatsuki or even myself." Kisame kept his eyes focused ahead, the outskirts of Konoha marking the halfway point in the distance. "I wonder if we should check in at Konoha first..."

She considered this and nodded up at him. "It would be wise to check in. If they have enough information to find and take down Madara, we might want to be there in case they need our help. I can send a message to Gaara from the Hokage's tower."

He nodded quietly and followed the long trail leading to the village in the valley below. A strange chakra signature wafted across his sensory range and he stopped abruptly. "That's odd..."

"What is it?"

"I thought I sensed... But it can't be right. It feels like Konan." Without a second thought, he dashed towards the village at top speed, Temari on his heels as fast as she could react. They barely stopped long enough to be verified by the gate guards before making another mad dash down the streets. She barely kept up with Kisame's long stride, but she caught up once he stopped before a large tower, the medical facility linked to the Hokage's tower. He closed his eyes in concentration, looking for the chakra signal. "Yes, I'm sure of it, that chakra is definitely hers. But why is she here...?"

Temari paused to rest her hands on her knees, doubling over as she caught her breath. "Looks like they found her. Come on, let's find Tsunade."

* * *

"Sorry, I have to go see her right now." Tsunade had been rushing down the hall as the two happened to enter the same corridor, and they followed her brisk pace. "You may come in as well, but if I tell you to leave, I need you to do so."

Temari nodded quickly. "Of course, Tsunade-sama."

Kisame frowned up at the Hokage. "Is she alright?"

Tsunade's frown deepened. "Eventually, perhaps. It's hard on her right now." She stopped before the door she was looking for and knocked before entering. The blue haired kunoichi gazed listlessly out the window even after everyone entered, though once she sensed Kisame's presence, she looked back at him with wide eyes.

"Kisame-san?" A small, fragile smile forced its way onto her face. "I never thought I would see you again..."

He stepped lightly over to his left next to the bed, grinning at her with his usual cheer. "Nah, you know me, Konan-chan. I don't break so easily."

She smiled a bit wider, glad that he had managed to make it out of Madara's clutches. Her glance drifted up to his strange clothing and finally to his headplate. Sunagakure? Would the odd surprises never end? She finally glanced at Temari. "Oh, who might you be?"

Temari let her own usual grin spread across her face. "Teamri, we were passing through on the way back to Suna, but we wanted to check and see if Konoha needed any immediate help with the Madara incident. That was when Kisame noticed your chakra signature and we came to visit."

Her narrow eyebrow raised slightly. "Interesting... So Zetsu joined Konoha, and you joined Suna. This is all so strange..."

Tsunade nodded once. "Hidan and Kakuzu have also been recovered and revived, and have both joined Konoha. It would be good to have you around, Kisame and Temari. We will probably be looking for Madara as soon as Konan heals properly. If he attacks before then... we will need your help even more."

Temari agreed with this. "Of course. We'll be glad to help."

Tsunade glanced at Temari sideways. "And what about Gaara?"

"I'll inform him about our situation. I'm sure he would want us here."

While they were distracted, Konan whispered to Kisame. "Kisame... I noticed that Zetsu found a girl too. Is she... with you?"

He tensed slightly, forcing back a blush. "Like that? Well... yeah. It's a long story."

She glanced at the other sand nin curiously. Looks like the surprises won't stop for a long while. "I see..."

Tsunade turned back to Konan. "Alright, I need to examine Konan, so I need the rest of you to leave. If you could go find Kakuzu and Hinata, let them know that I'll need their help this afternoon."

Konan's right eye twitched. This really was going to be quite a day.

* * *

"Hn... alright, we'll be sure to find her later." Kakuzu glanced up from his small tablet, crunching numbers on the sheet. He was sitting across from Hinata at a large tea house in the village, working on accounts for the medical facility. Kisame sat next to Kakuzu while Temari sat next to Hinata, Kisame glancing sideways at all the numbers written on the tablet. At least Kakuzu found a job that suited his talents.

Kisame chuckled heavily. "Kakuzu, you never take a break, do you?"

His glowing green eyes glimmered appreciatively. "After getting such a well paying job? Do you have any idea what kind of salary a medical nin can get?"

A sudden shadow in the entry way caught their attention as Zetsu and Tenten glanced into the tea house, Tenten smiling at Temari and Hinata while Zetsu merely nodded. The group already at the table scooted over to make room, glad for the ample space inside the tea house and its booths. Zetsu sat next to Kisame while Tenten sat next to Temari. Kisame smirked over at Zetsu, remembering what Konan had said about this pair. "Hey, Zetsu-san, didn't expect to see you today."

The plant nin nodded once. "WE SAW YOU ON OUR WAY TO SEE THE HOKAGE. I hope you don't mind that we decided to join you without notice."

He smirked even wider. "And who is your lady friend here?"

Zetsu's plant jaws quivered reflexively and Tenten reached over to shake Kisame's hand briefly. "My name is Tenten. I heard that you joined Suna, but I didn't think you'd actually be here in Konoha."

"Well, it was on the way, and then we heard about Konan, so... Yeah, you guess the rest."

Hinata spoke up softly. "Pleased to meet you... Kisame-san."

The shark nin glanced up at the silent wonder with amusement, then his brain was overloaded with amusement when he saw Kakuzu smile slightly out of the corner of his eye. Well well... looks like everyone found someone. "And you must be the little medic." Of course she was. Who else would have gotten Kakuzu into such a well-paying career?

She nodded shyly. "Yes, I have been working at the hospital for a while now."

It was all he could do to stifle a laugh. Kakuzu, with that shy little thing? Oh this was too rich. And where had Zetsu picked up that odd weapons master? Heck, it wasn't too unlike what he himself had experienced. A shark ninja and a sand ninja? That was just as weird. He couldn't help but ask. "So what is Hidan up to these days?"

Tenten sighed audibly. "Being beat up by Tsunade on a daily basis."

No. Don't laugh! Don't do it! He bit his lip in an attempt to silence himself, and waved at the tea house attendant briskly. "Yo! Sake please!" He had to get SOMETHING to calm his nearly exploding laughter. What the heck had happened to have every crack pairing lumped together in the same village?

* * *

Eight bottles of sake, and Kisame still wasn't drunk. Temari's eyes were as wide as saucers as she watched him down the ninth bottle. What was wrong with him?

* * *

A/N: Haha... ahh every crack pairing. Yay for sake. Detour is over (sad) but I got photos posted on deviant art. You know what to do.


	9. Hilarity and Consequences

I almost forgot about this fan fic, and really, that's not good. Well you know how it is. I'm a very busy woman you know! Gotta be lenient on me okay?

* * *

Part 9 - "Hilarity and Consequences"

* * *

As it turned out, ten bottles had been his limit before getting so incredibly plastered that he couldn't see straight. It had taken both Zetsu and Kakuzu to get the shark man out of the restaurant and back to where they were staying the night. Kakuzu had even bothered to increase Kisame's metabolism to burn off the alcohol in his system to wake him up. When Kisame came to, Kakuzu shook his head with a sigh.

"Kisame, what the heck has gotten into you?"

Kisame's eyes opened slowly and he chuckled at Kakuzu. "S-Sorry."

He sighed and rolled his eyes, looking to where Temari sat across from him. "This idiot went from only a three bottle tolerance when he started Akatsuki all the way to nine now. Don't let him do it again."

Kisame's head rolled to the side drunkenly. "K-Kakuzu, you... y'know 's'fine. I got... I got that... t-tolerance that... 's'fine yeah."

Temari glared down at him. "It's not fine, you idiot." She grabbed him by his collar and slapped some sense into him. "Stop being a moron by giving yourself alcohol poisoning!"

Kakuzu sighed with resignation, concentrating his chakra to help Kisame digest the alcohol faster. "You should listen to her, you know. Stop moving around." Frustrated, he lashed out his thin tendrils to keep the shark steady as he drove chakra into his system.

Kisame struggled only a little. "No no... 's'fine Ka... Kaku... it jus'... jusmmmnph..." Kakuzu's hand drove chakra into his forehead, causing him to fall asleep as he spoke.

"Idiot. At least that shut him up. Think you can handle it from here?"

She nodded at him, a slight grin on her face. "Yeah, I can manage. This isn't the first time he's done something stupid."

"I can imagine." He turned to leave but glanced back at her once more. "Well, he shouldn't give you more trouble than this. He's a moron but he means well." His stitched face stretched as he grinned, leaving the room quietly. She sat next to Kisame quietly, looking down with slight concern as he slept off the effects of too much alcohol. She stared at him curiously, wondering exactly what it was that inspired him to drink so much...

* * *

Kisame was dreaming. He knew it, too. Something about this dream realm felt fake, he knew the difference between reality and a dream from so much exposure to the Tsukiyomi. Oh, all the times he had taunted Itachi so much that he used the Tsukiyomi on him...! It seemed like a long distant memory, he thought. Things just weren't the same without him, and these amusing if completely unreal dreams did little to heal the emptiness. The glowing gummy sharks were a nice touch, and the tiny bottles of sake with legs dancing on top of the river were definitely drawing his attention, but again it wasn't the same.

He sighed and poked a rising yellow bubble with his finger, the fragile thing popping in a burst of confetti. Tiny multicolored bubbles followed after, bursting one at a time in tiny explosions. Deidara would have loved this if he were still alive... He sighed again, fingers gripping the pink grass as he stared down into the river made of caramel.

"Wake up dammit!" Temari was shaking him not too gently, and his eyes slowly cracked open to see her glaring at him. "Come on, we have to go. Snap out of that stupid hangover, Tsunade wants us to inspect something between the sound country and the fire country."

He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the horrible sick headache he had. "Inspect what?" His eyelids closed as the bright light of day hit them, though he adjusted quickly.

She let him go as she handed him a glass of water. "A crater, the place where Uchiha Sasuke fought against Deidara. And... well, the second place she wants me to investigate myself."

"Where Sasuke killed Itachi, isn't it?" His mind wasn't as sober as usual, but that didn't detract from his thought process now that most of the alcohol had passed.

She hesitated but nodded. "That's right. We need to find out what happened to Sasuke after that battle. Right now he's still missing, and he might even be in the custody of Madara himself. If that's so... he may be our link to Madara."

He considered the implications thoroughly. "I'll go to both locations." He rose slowly from the bed, wincing as his head protested the shift. "I know that Zetsu watched their battle, and he would know more than anyone exactly what happened that day, but even he can't know where the boy is now, I suppose."

"Tsunade-sama said that you don't have to investigate where... She said it was alright if you didn't want to go."

He shook his head slowly, still not accustomed to the light. "No, I'd... like to go. I want to see it. I didn't get to say goodbye before I had to leave the scene. Don't ask me not to go now that I have the chance."

"Alright, we'll both go." She smiled at him reassuringly, knowing that it would be both difficult and healing to see where his partner died. Maybe even painful, but hopefully the journey would turn out well for him as well as Itachi's restless soul.

* * *

The enormous crater where Deidara fought against Sasuke held little more than the charred remains of trees and rocks. How could the boy have survived? Kisame had a slight idea. Orochimaru had undoubtedly taught him how to summon creatures, and he had heard about there being a large snake on the field shortly before the explosion. That would explain a few things right there. It would also demonstrate that Tobi- Madara- being there that day had given the man some insight on Sasuke's talents. Little other evidence remained near the crater, everything gone in a bang just as Deidara had always talked about. There was no way he could have lived through this... right?

Temari seemed to pick up on his thoughts. "Suicide bomber... He must have been a real mental case, huh?"

Kisame sighed softly. "Yeah, that kid was a piece of work. Nice kid, but crazier than any of us, even Madara. At least he didn't want to kill us." His head jerked up suddenly, hearing an odd noise in the trees. Probably just a small animal. He stooped to inspect the dirt at the site, returning to his thoughts. "Very artistic, even in death."

She turned her head to the forest as well, hearing the same unusual noise in the foliage. It sounded like the wings of a bird... a very LARGE bird. "Do you hear that?"

He turned back to where the noise had come from. "It's getting closer." Silence. Maybe it was nothing. Soft grains of dust and dirt sifted through his fingers as he gazed across the crater. "Pein called it Deidara's self portrait. I can't help but wonder what he was thinking."

Kisame couldn't have known it then, but Deidara wasn't dead. He had flown to the site on his clay bird after all this time, wanting to see his masterpiece like he did every so often. It was his greatest work and like any good artist, he couldn't abandon such a fine work for too long. His slender form poised in the trees, he listened to the conversation going on below. Who was the woman? Why wasn't Kisame wearing his cloak? Was Akatsuki over? The light glinted suddenly on the shark's hitai-ate and Deidara saw the emblem of the sand village on it. Just like Sasori used to be... So either Kisame defected from Akatsuki or they were done completely. With a light jump, he landed in front of the shark nin with a casual grin. "I wasn't thinking... yeah. But it was still pretty artistic, Kisame-danna... un."

The shark's eyes nearly bugged out of his head as he gaped up at the young man. "Deidara? But you... how... I thought..." He gave up on talking, shaking his head in disbelief.

He shrugged, his grin widening. "Thought I was dead... yeah. Before I tell you anything, though, I need to know... What happened with Akatsuki, hm?" His finger pointed at Kisame's forehead. "You joined the sand, yeah?"

"Akatsuki's over. After Leader, died, things fell apart. You remember Tobi, of course."

He scoffed. "That little shit? Please tell me he died... yeah."

"Worse. He's an Uchiha, and his name is Madara. All this time, he was the one in control of Akatsuki, manipulating the leader behind our backs. As soon as Pein died, he made his appearance, trying to regather Akatsuki. He never found anyone. I fled to the desert, since I figured nobody would look for me there. Even Zetsu fled. But Tobi, or Madara... him being in charge all along is what scared me the most."

His eyebrow raised skeptically. "You mean to tell me... that little idiot was the real leader of Akatsuki, an Uchiha, and controlled everything from behind the scenes, un."

"That would be the short version, yes."

He was about to burst out laughing, but noticing Kisame's very serious look, he crouched down across from the older man. "You're serious... yeah. What about the others? What happened?"

He sighed, looking back at Temari who joined them on the ground. "Well, first of all I'd like you to meet Temari." He nodded back at her. "Temari, Deidara. He's the pyromaniac." A wide grin spread across his face.

She nodded to him briefly. "Deidara-san. I've heard... a lot about you." Her own smirk widened slightly, remembering all the crazy stories Kisame had told her.

Deidara grinned just as wide as the rest of them. "Yeah, Kisame-danna knows a bit too much for his own good, hmm? Good to meet you, Temari-san." His eyebrows met in a line as he looked at her a bit closer. "Do I know you, un?"

She did her best to keep her composure. "You and your old partner Sasori were the ones that captured my brother Gaara and severely injured my other brother Kankuro."

His eyes widened. "Oh, that red haired kid, yeah. The one that looked so much like Sasori-danna, un. Er..." His hand threaded through his hair nervously. "Un... We were just following orders, yeah. No hard feelings against the kid, you know."

She nodded understandingly. "It was... hard at first to meet the other survivors, but I know you were just doing what your leader told you to. But that leads to one more question. You survived, but you didn't seek out your fellow members again. Why?"

He hesitated. "I didn't join Akatsuki willingly... yeah. It was that damn Uchiha that recruited me. One of the rules is that the only way out of Akatsuki is to die. Anyone that manages to escape and live is hunted for the rest of their lives. And that Tobi runt was an Uchiha too? Shit... un. Only three Uchihas left in the world and I had to be one of the few to know all of them, yeah. I hate those damn Uchiha. Whatever happened to Itachi, un? Isn't he with you, Kisame-danna?" A long, drawn out silence ensued and Deidara caught on. "Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."

"It's alright," Kisame replied. "Itachi-san fought against his brother one last time. I'm sure it's the way he would have wanted it."

"Yeah. Hey, so what about the others, hmm?"

"Well, after you supposedly died, and Tobi along with you, I suppose it was then that he started to get more desperate. Hidan and Kakuzu fought against some Konoha nin. Kakuzu had all five of his hearts taken out, but his remains had been brought to Konoha where they were able to revive him. Hidan had been decapitated and buried somewhere in Konoha's territory, but Zetsu dug him up and he joined Konoha as well. Guess he didn't care who he joined sides with as long as he could do Jashin's work." He smiled when Deidara scoffed. "I know. Anyway, eventually Pein was killed by-"

Deidara interrupted. "Wait a minute, who's Pein?"

"That was Leader. Well, there was a big showdown not long after Itachi died, and he got killed during a huge war involving Rain, Fire and Cloud. After that Konan- his partner, the blue haired girl- she left, fleeing to Kumogakure. She was rescued recently as well, and right now she's recovering at the hospital. Kakuzu became a medic working at the hospital, and he said that she was at least physically stable. She just... needs to recover from the loss of Pein."

"This is a lot to absorb, un."

"Oh this is nothing. Wait til you see the rest of it!" He grinned widely. "The others have been getting into all sorts of weird situations, but that will have to wait. What do you say, Deidara? Would you join the rest of us? We all want to kill Madara, and I know you have your own score to settle with him. It's actually... not that bad in Konoha. For a long time I saw them as a bunch of goodies that really didn't know the way the world worked. Did you know they have a memorial stone in town, listing every great shinobi that has died? We never had that kind of thing back in Kiri. We were just nameless pawns. Something is different about that place. It's nothing like Iwagakure, I know that for sure."

Deidara hesitated. Join up with the good guys? Well... "Yeah. As long as I can blow that idiot Madara into tiny little pieces of... him. I'll join you, yeah."

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A/N: Hot dang! Hey, you knew I couldn't resist bringing in Deidara. He's just too awesome to leave out! I smell another side pairing... but with whom? Dunno. We'll see, won't we?


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Sorry I'm so late, I've been... REALLY unmotivated.

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Not long after Deidara arrived in Konoha, Sasuke mysteriously appeared from nowhere as well, declaring his already well-known defeat of his brother. The cold look in his eyes spoke of regret. Was it regret for killing his brother? Why? Kisame could only look at that kid for the briefest moment, his countenance so similar to his brother in every way. Even that look of remorse, the silent suffering, it was exactly alike. Few people had known about Itachi's true inner turmoil and suffering, and it had taken five years for the man to trust Kisame enough to give even the slightest hint.

Along with Sasuke, a very irritating red haired kunoichi that Kisame remembered all too well had tagged behind. The remainder of team Hebi, after he killed Suigetsu. Juugo had gone on a rampage somewhere else after that battle and disappeared. After that battle, Kisame had taken Zabuza's sword and returned it to its rightful place, stuck in the ground by his grave site. Though he held little compassion for Zabuza to begin with, it wasn't right to tamper with things that belonged to the dead. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about that, though. Right now he had other problems to deal with.

"You again!" The red haired woman pointed at him accusingly, her eyes wide behind her glasses.

All of the current group had been stuffed into Tsunade's office, and Kisame felt the lack of space all too well. He was wedged between Deidara and Temari, Sasuke near Tsunade's desk with the red haired one stuffed between him and Deidara. Things had been made worse after every other person in what seemed to be the entire universe heard about Sasuke's arrival and Sakura, Kakashi, Naruto and every other jounin in the whole damn village had crammed themselves into every remaining inch of space. Even in these horrible conditions, Kisame kept his good humor long enough to launch a grin and a sarcastic remark her way. "And here I never thought I'd see your lop-sided head ever again." Her haircut was indeed lop-sided, the bangs on one half cut severely shorter than the other side. That kind of thing just made his brain spin, it was too weird.

Tsunade looked just as claustrophobic as everyone else in the room and her brows suddenly met with rage, her form standing suddenly and banging the desk with frustration. "Everybody SHUT UP!" The whole room was silent, not a word being uttered. Even the talkative pig TonTon managed to keep her snout shut. With one last fiery glare around the room, Tsunade finally brought up what most of them had been wanting to hear. "Alright... Sasuke is back, Deidara is alive, and..." Her eyes looked over to the red haired girl briefly. "And another person. Sasuke." She pointed a finger at him sharply. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

His cold black eyes went to the floor demurely. "I have no reasonable excuse for my actions, Lady Tsunade. My brother is dead, as is Orochimaru. Kabuto is still on the loose. I intend to take whatever punishment you see fit."

She tapped her finger on the table thoughtfully, glaring around the room in annoyance. Too many people. "Everybody out! OUT! Shoo!" Her golden eyes stared at everyone in turn, watching as those in the back started to filter out of the room. Sakura turned to leave but Tsunade shook her head, allowing her and Kakashi to stay in the room. Kisame sighed with relief as those remaining spread out enough to breath. Deidara was even more claustrophobic than the rest of them, and the shark nin had no idea how long the guy could last without snapping. Tsunade poised her hands on her desk calmly, looking the Uchiha in the eye. "It has been six months since the reported death of Itachi, why has it taken you so long to return?"

His eyes darted around the room slightly before responding. "I was captured by Uchiha Madara." He waited a moment for the looks of disbelief he expected, but the Hokage barely flinched.

"Damn..." She paused, frowning with deep concentration. "Did he tell you anything... unusual?"

His hand clutched his sword reflexively. "He said that... my brother was ordered to kill all members of his clan by the officials of this village."

Even Tsunade was appalled by this, though honestly t didn't shock her as much as it had with everyone else. It must have been Danzo... or one of the others. All that talk about reviving Konoha from the ashes and starting anew... his words about taking over the Hokage position and returning things to their... oh lord no. "Shit!" She grabbed her chair and suddenly threw it out the window, the glass shattering noisily. Her ample frame shook visibly as she tried to regain her composure, turning around to the group but not paying attention as she voiced her thoughts. "Damn him... now it all makes sense. Danzo... now I know what you're really up to."

Sakura looked up, recognizing that name. "Him again?"

Tsunade bit her lip nervously before looking back to Sasuke. "What else did he say?"

"He talked about the Senju clan and how the viewpoints on how the village should be run had differed since the founding. Senju Hashirama one day fought Madara to prove some kind of point, and since then there have been problems inside the council. The council we know favored Madara's plans for the village and eventually conspired against the entire Uchiha clan. I suppose Madara saw the current Uchiha as traitors to his ideals and sought to start anew, making my brother his pawn. Madara may have even conspired directly with the council for all we know."

She paused. "The Kyuubi attack..."

"It may have been arranged by the council. Madara was in control of the thing the whole time and could have stopped the attack whenever the council wished, but... well, we all know the outcome."

"So then Madara created Akatsuki. Then does that mean..." Her eyes widened suddenly. Those times the elders insisted that Naruto stay in the village... "They're still trying to destroy the village with every action. When Naruto's team went looking for you, the elders told me to keep Naruto in the village. I wonder if they planned on Akatsuki getting desperate enough to attack Konoha directly. If Pein had been ambitious enough, and all those members hadn't died... they could have taken it. They hesitated by trying to obtain all the other bijuu, though. But as their numbers dwindled, they became more and more desperate... Did Madara create Akatsuki to take over Konoha and regain his precious pet?"

"He may have been conspiring with the elders to only destroy certain parts of Konoha, leaving him with the Kyuubi and able to revive the village in the way he saw fit, possibly leaving the position to Danzo. With the Kyuubi under its command, the new Konoha would then be able to take over the entire shinobi nation."

She stared at her desk, mind swirling with trepidation. What was she going to do? What COULD she do? No matter what she came up with, it all led to the same conclusion as before. Madara had to die. It also led to a new conclusion. The elder council must somehow be abolished or replaced. That would look bad, especially after all these estranged Akatsuki members showing up and her letting them in with little more than closely monitored probation. However, if the council lost their biggest tool, things may just work out. "Madara must die, then. If we kill him, the council cannot move to revive Konoha for a very long time, if ever. Above all, he must not regain control of the Kyuubi again."

Sasuke nodded. "Konoha was lucky to have someone that knew the sealing technique, though it cost him his life, as well as pain and suffering for Naruto."

Sakura nodded demurely. "Having that monster inside him... must have been hard."

"That too, though what I meant was that Minato's sacrifice also cost Naruto a normal life, with parents there to help. Madara told me that Minato is Naruto's father."

Kisame perked up at this. "What kind of father would do that to a kid?"

His eyes narrowed. "I suppose you would know." At the sight of the shark nin wincing visibly, not willing to throw a retort, he continued. "I'm sure at the time he thought it the only way to save the village, and of course he gave the decree for it to never be spoken of again, for Naruto's sake."

Tsunade nodded in agreement. "Yes. Well... this will need to be gone over more thoroughly in the coming days. As for you, Sasuke, you will have probation just like the others have had. Deidara, you too. If you feel the need to blow something up, I have been told you can't contain your urges for long and I'd be willing to let you do so outside the village if you are accompanied. I think that the risk is worth taking for everyone's safety."

The pyro nin's eye widened as he smirked. "That's right, yeah. Who would go with me?"

She scanned the small crowd before landing on a certain pink haired kunoichi. "Sakura."

His eye widened again but this time in surprise. He glanced over at Sakura with disdain. "Why her, yeah?"

Her brow furrowed slightly as she closed her eyes. "She had little trouble killing your old partner and since then has grown even stronger. I'm sure you resent her for the death of Sasori, but you'll just have to manage if you want to help."

He paused for a long moment, his eye never halting his cold stare in the girl's direction. "Fine. I'll do it, yeah, as long as I get to blow up that damn Uchiha."

* * *

A/N: I... ran out of ideas. At least I did something. This is my theory so far. Uh... review please?


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: If you think I completely forgot about this fan fic, well... you're totally right. I did. Sorry...

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Chapter 11

Kisame just couldn't believe the mess he had somehow gotten himself into. Here he was, inexplicably leading Temari, Hidan, Kakuzu and Neji through Konoha during the cherry blossom festival. Actually, he wasn't sure how Neji had come to join them, but he was soon followed by his sensei, Gai. Naturally, Gai had no idea who Kisame was, and yet again Neji tried to explain that yes, they had met before not once, but twice and why couldn't he remember anything?

"Oh! Now I remember! He had... some kind of weapon..."

"Sensei... he had a huge sword. Don't you remember?"

"Are you sure it was a sword?"

Temari's eyebrow twitched. "Is he always like this?"

Neji refrained from looking at anyone, lest he be associated with them. "For some reason, Kisame seems to be the only person he can never recall."

From behind, Hidan and Kakuzu were getting into a small battle. "Come on, Kuzu, why can't I?"

"Call me that again and I'll do far worse than cut off your head... You know why you can't."

"Oh come on, please? Pretty fucking please?"

"No."

Then there was Kisame, who for all the world was trying to pretend this wasn't happening. Temari definitely understood his attitude, and grasped his arm with another grimace at Gai. The man had somehow started to do a weird pose, and then Kisame saw why. His student, Lee, was running towards them, stopping just short and mimicking the same pose. "I made it, Gai-sensei!"

"Good job, Lee! Let the power of youth explode! Give today your very best!"

"YES GAI-SENSEI!"

Kisame suddenly realized that the two would be easily distracted by their weird conversation and nudged Temari slightly. "Hey... let's lose these guys." She nodded her enthusiastic agreement and followed, Hidan and Kakuzu going about their own ways while Neji found somewhere dark and quiet to hide for the rest of the day. They finally found a place that wasn't occupied by green spandex out on a hill overlooking the entire city. Tall trees shaded the whole area, and Kisame plopped underneath one, completely drained. At least mentally.

"I seriously thought that idiot would never shut up. Or leave."

She sat in front of him, stretching back to lean on him. "Yeah, I remember him. He's crazy, but he's also pretty strong. When he's in battle he's a lot more easy to take seriously, but even then, there are times..."

"Oh yes, I know. Believe me, I remember. The first time, his speed caught me off guard and he even landed a kick on me. The second time... shit, I don't know what he did, but he became ten times as fast and powerful as when he started the fight. Only a few days ago, I finally asked someone what his secret was. Some kind of gate system on the chakra flow."

"Sounds pretty dangerous."

"Yeah, especially if you're on the receiving end. I still don't get why he doesn't remember me. It's not like I have a face that's easy to forget." He gave a toothy smirk down at her.

She laughed lightly, leaning her head back on his chest to look up at him, squinting. "Hmm I don't know... you COULD easily be mistaken for someone..." Her lips curled, barely suppressing a laugh.

He laughed loudly and mussed her hair teasingly. "Only if the last thing he looked at was a shark on his plate!"

She laughed too, enjoying the easy conversations they always had, looking out on the city below. Down on the street, she saw someone familiar and pointed. "Hey, there's Tsunade. And ah... what was that other woman's name?"

He leaned forward, holding her shoulders so he didn't accidentally tip her over. "Oh, that's Konan. She seems to be doing a little better, don't you think?"

"Yeah, she's been getting a lot of help from this village. It's good that she's here... she really needs this. It seems that she's becoming great friends with Kakashi, too."

"That's good. Those two have a lot of similarities." He leaned back again, hands going through the ends of her hair, pondering the festival quietly. They had explored all the shops and games, now they needed a little down time. The calm breeze and noises filtering through the air almost made him fall asleep, but when he looked out again, he saw that Konan had stopped walking where she stood. What was wrong? In a flash, someone was at her side, dark locks and red armor identifying him immediately. Even though they were far from the scene, Kisame knew who that man was. "...Madara?!" He scrambled to his feet while trying not to dump Temari from his lap, though she too was on her feet, summoning her fan to her with a scroll. His own summoning scroll was out in an instant, a puff of smoke dissipating as he hefted Samehada to his shoulders.

Temari watched as Tsunade reacted to the scene, fists and feet of fury punching and kicking the man ruthlessly. However, Madara seemed to possess some supernatural ability to phase out of each kick and punch, though in the confusion Konan made a paper replacement. That was Konan, alright. She definitely shouldn't be underestimated. He refrained from going down the hill and helping, his hand on Temari's shoulder to prevent her from doing the same. Konan could take care of herself for the moment, and if she really needed them, they could be down instantly. It was an intense battle, the skills of the two kunoichi complementing each other in ways he would have never imagined. While Tsunade was an up close and personal fighter, Konan specialized in long range and deception. Even so, Madara managed to evade every move, knocking the Hokage aside.

Madara held Konan up by the neck, muttering something they couldn't hear. Kisame's grip on his sword tensed, but what could they really do? They were no match for someone they couldn't even hit! The sky around them shuddered with moving air, the trees hissing as the wind moved amongst their leaves. Kisame knew darn well when a storm was coming after living in Kirigakure for so long, then in Suna. His senses were picking up that smell, the scent of rain. However, this wasn't rain that came down naturally. He knew this particular kind of rain, but... how? How was he still... Just as Madara tensed, looking like he was going to kill the woman, lightning flashed brightly, dark chakra filling the void all around as another figure held Madara by his own throat, Konan released instantly.

Those eyes... Kisame knew those eyes, just as anyone else from Akatsuki. Pein was back, but how? How had he lived? This wasn't the body Kisame recalled, though. Who was this other Pein? Long dark hair, but those same eyes, that same sinister chakra. It was him, alright. For a long time the two stared the other down, saying some things that never made it up to where Kisame watched. Even so, he knew it was intense. Finally Pein let Madara down, the other man almost cowering as he faded away. Kisame tensed, then ran down the hill, Temari on his heels. Konan rose shakily, regarding the shinobi suddenly surrounding them warily. She was all that kept Pein from attacking.

"Please don't hurt them." Kisame caught the tail end of their conversation, then stood at attention, not sure how to regard his former leader and Pein doing the same. Zetsu came forth and explained how Konan had been captured and then rescued, and Temari noticed that Pein's eyes drifted down to the plant's new forehead protector. There would be much explanation needed.

* * *

Only once you have truly been here could you ever understand why... That's what Zetsu had said when questioned about his new alliance. Pein had been given wary distance by all that came near him, though he was granted stay in the Hokage tower- both for the village's safety as well as his own. He had been surprisingly silent throughout the whole day, keeping to himself until evening. When dark fell, he agreed to meet up with his former comrades, though Konan kept to his side when he wasn't busy. Now it was time for Kisame to have a talk, agreed to by Tsunade. He and Temari stood by the door, edgy until Pein invited them to sit down.

"Please, Kisame. There is no need to fear me. Come. Let's talk." He gestured to the main table, Konan watching from the side as she often did. Kisame sat at the table, followed by Temari. Pein hesitated, looking out the window pensively before seating himself. After a long, tense moment he spoke. "I suppose you wish to know more about this current body of mine."

Kisame nodded, still somewhat on edge. "Along with other things... sir." He wasn't even sure how to address his former leader, though Pein seemed to stiffen even at the neutral address.

"My name is Nagato. For all the time we have known each other, I have been controlling the bodies you have seen remotely. Each of them is an embodiment of the six paths of ninja art. Madara thought me dead once he killed all of my bodies, but I still had my original body left to me, and with their deaths I regained all of their powers. He may have killed the parts, but he will find it difficult to kill me as a whole."

Konan frowned from the corner. "You've never lost to someone like that. Don't speak as if he might kill you."

"Konan... as shinobi we know that death is always a possibility. Even if it is nearly impossible, it is still marginally possible. As I said, though, he will find it extremely difficult, and it may be that I will be victorious. We can't know either way until it is over." He faced Kisame quietly. "All I ask is that none of you interfere with the battle. No former Akatsuki, no Konoha nins, nobody. This is between Madara and myself."

Temari finally spoke up. "We're all that came from Suna, and we won't interfere."

Nagato sat back in his chair, looking at Kisame with an odd expression. "How did you end up in the village of sand? It seems so... strange that someone like you would end up there."

Kisame laughed lightly, stretching back as well, finally feeling relaxed. It seemed that Nagato wanted little more than to get back at Madara, and the hidden villages were no longer in danger. "It's a funny story, really. That Madara guy came after me, you know, after the whole mess went down. I had to find a place to lie low, a place even I wouldn't want to find me in. That's how I ended up in the middle of nowhere, waiting out a sandstorm until this gal found me."He nodded at Temari.

Nagato nodded at Temari curtly. "Interesting. I don't believe we've met."

Temari's lips thinned just a touch. "You may have heard of me from your comrades. I'm Gaara's sister."

His eyebrows raised with recognition. "The Kazekage, yes. Well..." He shifted in his seat a little. "I suppose an explanation is in order, but... I don't know whether Kisame told you this or not, but Madara had his own plans, and if we hadn't got out while we could... the world as we know it would be dead. He deceived us, myself especially. The things he said... I really wanted it to be true."

Temari clasped her hands in front of her, taking a deep breath. "I'm not as shallow as I used to be. I'm willing to listen to what he told you. Believe me... I know how it is to be deceived."

"I did hear about Suna participating with Otogakure against Konoha in the past, so I can sympathize. Madara told us to use the tailed beasts as merely bargaining chips, to keep the hidden villages at peace and force them to cease all war. He told us how the world could be if Akatsuki kept an eye on everything. People like us... people that never had a chance at a good life could finally have that chance, whether they had a bloodline limit or not."

She nodded, lowering her eyes. "But then Madara changed his plans, or maybe never had that plan, and instead sought to destroy the world. Kisame told me something to that effect. I can't speak for Konoha, but if you tell them your story, they won't harm you. If you kill Madara... maybe then we can all start to work on having peace."

He averted his eyes suddenly. "Peace? That's impossible..."

"For a long time I thought so too. But then Suna and Konoha became the best allies, after years and years of outright hatred. If we can come to terms, maybe..."

Kisame was slightly pessimistic. "Kirigakure has always been hostile, not to mention sadistic. Although, they protect their own and would maybe be willing to back down. I still have connections there, though secret. We'll have to see, I suppose."

Nagato nodded. "Zetsu will be here soon, or so I heard from the Hokage. Maybe he will also have some insight into this matter."

Kisame grinned wide. "That guy always sees what we can't."

* * *

A/N: Done for now... and hopefully I won't forget again...


End file.
